Basic Account

Our Bank of Scotland Basic Account may be available if you don’t meet the conditions for one of our other current accounts.

This might be because you’re bankrupt, in financial difficulty, or if we’re not able to obtain information about your credit history.

Features of this account:

Available

  • Free everyday banking - this means no fees and charges for going accidently overdrawn.
  • Contactless VISA debit card
  • Access to a range of services - Choose when you bank with 24 hour access to Online Banking and Mobile Banking as well as access to Telephone Banking and branch services.
  • Free mobile alerts
  • Everyday Offers
  • Save the Change®

Not available

  • Credit Interest on your balances
  • Arranged overdraft
  • Cheque book

For more information and terms and conditions for this account read the Bank of Scotland Bank Account Conditions (PDF, 173KB).

For more information about the fees associated for Payment Services with this account please see the Fee Information Document (PDF, 157KB).

How to apply for a Basic Account

You cannot apply for a Basic Account directly and will need to start by applying for one of our current accounts. We will try to get information about your credit history to decide which account is right for you.

Choose a current account

Prefer to speak to someone?
Call us on 0345 720 3040 ( Lines are open 9am – 6pm Monday – Saturday) or drop into your nearest branch.

From 1st November we are making changes to some of our terms and conditions and updating them to make them easier to understand. For more information, please read the Guide to Changes (PDF, 71KB).

Are you in financial difficulty?

We have a range of guides to help you through the harder times. Topics include managing debt and help with redundancy.

View our guides

If you are an existing customer who has become insolvent (e.g. bankrupt, or have entered into a voluntary agreement to prevent being declared bankrupt) please call us on 0345 720 3040 (8am - 8pm, seven days a week.Not all Telephone Banking services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.) or drop into your nearest branch

Existing Cash Account customers

You can check if you are able to upgrade to one of our other current accounts through Internet Banking.

Switch to us

You can switch your current account from one bank or building society to another in only seven working days.

Current Account Switch Guarantee

  • Switch to us in only 7 working days

    We have designed the Current Account Switch Service to let you switch your current account from one bank or building society to another in a simple, reliable and stress-free way. It will only take seven working days. As your new current-account provider we offer the following guarantee.

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    • The service is free to use and you can choose and agree your switch date with us.
    • We will take care of moving all your payments going out (for example, your Direct Debits and standing orders) and those coming in (for example, your salary).
    • If you have money in your old account, we will transfer it to your new account on your switch date.
    • We will arrange for payments accidentally made to your old account to be automatically redirected to your new account. We will also contact the sender and give them your new account details.
    • If there are any issues in making the switch, we will contact you before your switch date.
    • If anything goes wrong with the switch, as soon as we are told, we will refund any interest (paid or lost) and charges made on either your old or new current accounts as a result of this failure.
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    For more information and FAQs, please read the Account Switching Guide (PDF, 2.4MB).

Bank of Scotland plc. Registered in Scotland No. SC327000. Registered Office: The Mound, Edinburgh EH1 1YZ. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority under registration number 169628.

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